Hold-down saddle for tension cables



y 1962 s. G. OSBORN ETAL 3,044,792

HOLD-DOWN SADDLE FOR TENSION CABLES Filed Jan. 18, 1960 V i a 3,044,792 Patented July 17 1962 ffice 3,044,792 HOLD-DOWN SADDLE FOR TENSION CABLES Scott G. Osborn, 3453 74th Place SE, Mercer Island, Wash., and Donald H. Amick, 27276th Ave. 5., Seattle, Wash.

Filed Jan. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 3,130 Claims. (Cl. 280-1135) This invention relates to improvements in a hold-down saddle for tension cables as used in ski-bindings, and, more particularly, to a hold-down saddle in combination with a ski and ski-binding in which the saddle functions under conditions of extreme stress, as when a skier is falling or tumbling, to release the tension cable and relieve strain on the skiers foot and leg.

It is common practice in ski-bindings to provide a toe iron against which the boot toe is pressed and held by means of a tension cable which encircles the heel of the boot and extends forward on each side of the boot to a tensioning clamp, or similar device. It is desirable that the tension cable, at points adjacent the heel of the boot, be held down to the sides of the ski. However, it has been discovered that when a skier falls forward toward the tips of his skis, terrific strains are imparted upon the bones of the foot, upon the Achilles tendon, and upon the skiers ankle and leg. This is due to the fact that the heel and foot are secured tightly in a stiif and rigid boot which is restrained from rising as would be normal in an unrestrained forward fall. Under such circumstances, it is therefore considered highly desirable that the downward holding action on the tension cable be maintained only so long as there has been no more than a predetermined rise of the heel.

It isan essential object of this invention to provide a hold-down saddle for use in ski-bindings in which, when the skiers heel rises a predetermined amount and forces are present tending to cause it to rise farther, the heelencircling tension cable will be automatically released and freed from the restraining effect of the hold-down saddle.

Another object of the invention has been the provision of a hold-down saddle which is so designed that as the tension cable normally disposed under it rises at an abrupt angle at the rear thereof the cable will be dislodged from beneath the saddle, and forced outward for eventual freedom from any downward holding effect.

These, and other objects, will become apparent during the course of the following description in which is set forth a preferred embodiment of this invention together with alternative and equivalent structures which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hold-down saddle according to this invention, the same being a saddle for the right edge of a ski;

FIG. 2 is a face view in elevation of the hold-down saddle of FIG. 1, showing the same as it appears mounted on a ski edge and having a tension cable associated therewith, portions being omitted for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the assembly of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 and 5 show twoprogressive aspects of the assembly of FIG. 2 as the same appears during dislodgment of the tension cable from the hold-down saddle;

FIGS. 6 and 8 illustrate two modified and alternative forms of the hold-down saddle of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section view on line 7--7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-section on line 9-9 of FIG. 3.

A device according to this invention comprises a plate 10 for attachment by means of screws 11, 11 to an upright edge of a ski 12. Saddle 14 on theupper edge of plate 10 is, in general, an inverted U-shaped member and is formed of the material of plate 10 integral therewith. In use, the saddle 14 overlies tension cable 16 which passes from forward of the skiers boot along the side of the ski 12 beneath the boot sole and rearward of the boot where it encircles the heel. The tension cable, which is generally a coiled spring or cable strand, passes plate 10 beneath the overhanging lip 18 of the saddle 14 and, due to the fact that it dips downward slightly in advance of the saddle and rises upward slightly to the rear of the saddle the under surface of the overhanging portion of the saddle is convex in order to avoid presenting unduly sharp surfaces A to the coils, or strands, forming the tension cable 16. The rear edge of the saddle has an angular camming surface 20, which as best can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, courses at an angle acute to the plane of the plate 10 outward in a forward direction relative thereto. Surface 20 is chamfered as shown in FIG. 9 to convex shape to reduce sharpness and possible injury to the tension cable.

Bearing in mind that FIGS. 2 and 3 show normal circumstances, FIG. 4 shows that the rear portion 17 of tension cable 16 has been raised. This is a condition common when the skier is bendingor falling forward and exerting sutficient stress on the tension cable 16 to stretch or elongate the same and cause the heel of his boot to rise. Under such circumstances, that portion 17 of the tension cable to the rear of saddle 14 is raised at an abrupt angle. In so doing the cable rides on camming surface 20 which tends to force the cable outward and away from the side of the ski 12 and from the face of plate 10. As the tension cable to the rear of the saddle is raised to a more abrupt or upright angle, thus producing a forceforward of the saddle, the tension cable sliding on surface 20 is forced farther outward and is eventually dislodged entirely from beneath lip 18 of saddle 14. This progressive action is generally shown in FIG. 5.

When the tension cable is dislodged and displaced from beneath the hold-down saddle 14 the cable 16 is freed of restraint by the hold-down device and tension is relieved. from the skiers boot heel. This permits the cable to fall free of the boot heel, and will serve to avoid the application of injurious forces to the skiers foot, ankle or leg.

At the rear of the saddle, as shown in FIGS. 1-5, plate 10 carries an outstanding member comprising an upwardly open flange or lip.22 which underlies the tension cable portion extending rearward of saddle 14. Lip 22 loosely holds the tension cable up and under the-saddle when the same is unstressed. This is an aid to the skier when he is assembling, stepping into, and fastening his bindings and particularly the tension cable about the heel of his boot. Lip 22 during normal skiing conditions functions to prevent the lateral pivoting of the boot near the heel due'to the restraining elfect of the rising portion of lip 22 on the tension cable. However when the cable rises as in FIGS. 4 and 5, lip 22 does not restrain it.

FIG. 6 shows an alternative form of hold-down device in which the plate 10, having a saddle 14 as described before, is provided rearward of the saddle and in spaced relation to its camming surface 20 with an outstanding boss 24, here shown as a cylindrical sleeve, held to the plate 10 by means of screw 25. The rear portion 17 of the tension cable overlies and rests on boss 24, which is spaced sufficiently from the rear or camm-ing edge of the saddle 14 to permit interpositioning'of the tension cable therebetween when the cable is unstressed and disposed approximately in alignment with the outward, angular coursing of the camming surface 20. The sleeve forming boss 24 may be metallic or it may be of rubber and thus resilient. When slight pressure is applied if the spacing is slightly less than the diameter of the cable 16, the cable may be forced into position.

In FIG. 8 another alternative arrangement for holding the tension cable 16 up and under the saddle is shown. In this instance, the cable retaining device comprises an outstanding flanged member 28 which may be formed of spring metal. It comprises a base portion 29 and the lip portion 30 offset therefrom and rising thereabove to receive the rear portion 17 of cable 16. The cable holding device 28 secured to plate by a screw 11 may or may not rotate, depending upon the tension or pressure applied thereto by the screw. In those instances where member 28 is formed of spring metal it may be sprung outward slightly during the placing of the unstressed cable 16 between lip 30 and the camming surface 20, so that the cable underlies the saddle. The cable comes free as described when forced outward by the cam.

Flanged lip 22 of the device of FIG. 1, the boss 24 of FIG. 6, and the offset member 28 of FIG. 8 each comprises means which is spaced rearward of the saddle and receives and underlies the tension cable to loosely hold the same under the saddle when it is unstressed. Where there is an upstanding lip included in these members the same will tend to prevent lateral or outward movement of the normally stressed tension cable 16 away from the face of hold-down plate 1!).

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and alterations in addition to those described may be adopted and incorporated without departing from the spirit of this invention. All such modifications and changes which are equivalent to the structure disclosed herein and defined in the subjoined claims is contemplated as part of the invention herein and therefore covered by this patent.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a ski having boot binding means including a boot heel encircling tension cable which normally lies alongside an edge of the ski; and a hold-down saddle carried by the ski to overlie the tension cable to restrain the same from upward or outward movement when stressed, said saddle having an angular camming surface at its rear edge, said surface being shaped to course at an angle acute to the longitudinal axis of the tension cable outward and forward from a point normally contiguous with the inside surface of said cable, said acute angle being such that upon upward and forward flexing of the cable, said cable is forced outwardly of and dislodged from beneath said saddle.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which there is included means spaced rearward of said saddle to underlie the tension cable and loosely hold the same when unstressed under said saddle.

3. A hold-down device for ski-binding tension cables, comprising: a plate for attachment to an upright edge of a ski, and a saddle carried by said plate to overlie a tension cable passing said plate, said saddle having an angular camming surface at its rear edge, said surface being shaped to course at an angle acute to the face plane of said plate and outward and forward from a point normally contiguous with the inside surface of a cable disposed beneath this saddle, said acute angle being such that upon upward and forward flexing of the cable, said cable is forced outwardly of and dislodged from beneath said saddle.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which there is included means spaced rearward of said saddle to underlie the tension cable and loosely hold the same when unstressed under said saddle.

5. The structure according to claim 3 in which there is an outstanding member carried by said plate rearward of the saddle to underlie a tension cable and to loosely hold the same when unstressed under said saddle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,276,896 Walker Mar. 17, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,110,508 France Oct. 12, 1955 1,198,872 France June 15, 1959 167,829 Switzerland Oct. 1, 1934 

